


Something To Be Thankful For

by JinxedAmbitions



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dysfunctional Relationships, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Post-Divorce, Thanksgiving Dinner, inappropriate use of a motorcycle, weight loss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-02-07 07:33:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12836331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JinxedAmbitions/pseuds/JinxedAmbitions
Summary: Divorce isn't easy on either Armie or Ben, but their marriage wasn't easy either.  They constantly fought. Everyone was aware that they had their problems and were even betting on when they'd finally divorce or kill each other.However, now that it's over, neither Armitage nor Ben have the courage to tell their families which has led to the awkward invitation to the Organa-Solo family Thanksgiving. Not wanting to admit the truth, the only solution is to pretend they are still married. Can they fool their families into believing that they still love each other?  Can they admit to themselves that despite their current circumstances, perhaps the feelings they had thought dead still exist?For Armitage and Ben, it is only through revisiting the destruction of their marriage that they can rebuild something in its place.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Gefionne for volunteering to beta this for me!

“Mr. Solo, _he’s_ here to see you,” his assistant said through the intercom.

Ben looked up from the designs he was going over. He frowned at the small box on his desk, where his father’s assistant’s voice came from.

“I’m not expecting anyone,” Ben said, pressing the correct button—there was more than once that he spoke to nothing but the box when he’d pressed the wrong button.

“Not a client. _Him_ ,” she said, placing all of the emphasis on the last word.

“I’m not seeing anyone today. I have to head over to the construction site in five min—”

The door to Ben’s office burst open before he could even get the sentence out. Ben paused as he watched a familiar figure stride into the room like he owned the place. Han’s assistant scurried after him, tittering apologetically.

It had been—Ben glanced down at his computer screen to confirm the date—six weeks and two days since Ben had last seen him. “Armitage, I thought you said you never planned to see or speak to me again, lest hell freeze over,” Ben said, mimicking Hux’s voice and standing up to his full height. Intimidation had never worked with Armie, but Ben needed to stand his ground or Hux would try to walk all over him, like he did everyone else.

“I just got off the phone with _your_ mother,” Armitage said, skipping any sort of pleasantries.

“I didn’t know you planned to keep in touch with Leia,” Ben said, remembering how tense things were between Armie and her at the best of times. Family dinners had never been pleasant, but they’d only gotten worse when Ben had brought Armitage home and introduced him as his husband. Elopement was unacceptable in the Organa-Solo household—when anyone other than Han and Leia were doing it.

“You haven’t told her we’re divorced yet!” Hux accused, marching right over to Ben’s desk and leaning over it until they were face-to-face.

Ben gulped, but hid it behind a clenched jaw. Surprisingly, a great deal had changed since their last heated meeting at the courthouse, when their three-year marriage had finally been dissolved.

Notably, Armie was sporting a full beard, and his normally impeccable hair was in complete disarray. Ben knew Armie had lost his job, in no small part due to Ben. One of their final blow-ups had been at Armie’s office as they were trying to divide their assets. Heated was not a strong enough word for what they’d been, and Hux had been let go shortly after.

“We aren’t doing this here,” Ben told his ex-husband.

“She invited us to Thanksgiving because you haven’t been answering her calls,” Armie plowed on, ignoring Ben’s demand.

“Did you tell her you can’t make it?” Ben asked, feeling a strange flutter in his belly.

“Of course not! She’s already confirmed it with my mother,” Hux snarled. “This is all your fault. You don’t even have the balls to tell your own mother we got a divorce.”

“It isn’t like you’ve told your own,” Ben snapped.

“You know exactly why I haven’t told my mother yet,” Hux said, quiet.

“What do you want me to do about any of this?” Ben demanded, ignoring Hux’s words.

“I want you to be an adult, for once, and tell you mother you divorced me and don’t want me or my family at dinner and to uninvite us,” Hux said sharply, gripping the edge of Ben’s desk.

“ _I_ divorced _you_? That’s a load of shit. You couldn’t sign those papers fast enough. I’m surprised you didn’t injure yourself with how eager you were to shed me like dead skin,” Ben retorted, pounding his fist on the desk.

“Like anyone would blame me. You are impossible to live with. Three years of dealing with you and your family, and I’ve had it.”

“Then tell Leia yourself,” Ben barked.

“Still using me to do you emotional dirty work,” Armie spat.

“Get out of my damn office.”

“Or what? Is your father going to fire you?”

Ben grabbed the paperweight, shaped like a piece of modern art Armitage was fond of, and threw it across the room. It had been a birthday present while they were engaged. Hux’s eyes followed it as it sailed past and collided with the wall, denting both.

“By the way, how’s living on Phasma’s couch?” Ben asked. It was a low blow. Hux had been such a promising architect. He’d won awards and designed for both private and commercial clients. His job had been everything to him, which had put a strain on their relationship, but if it hadn’t been for Hux’s job they never would’ve met in the first place: a double-edged sword.

The vein in Hux’s forehead looked as if it might burst as he ground his teeth. He didn’t immediately retort—probably too furious to form words.

Armitage had lived in an elegant apartment in the city when they’d first met. He was doing well enough to be able to afford the place without any trouble, and he’d taken no small amount of pride in that.

Ben didn’t enjoy city living. He’d grown up in it, and it didn’t appeal to him. He’d persuaded Armie that a real house outside the city would be better for them. Most of their jobs were in the suburbs anyway. It was just Hux’s big-name clients that wanted to meet with him in ritzy hotels to show off just the sort of lifestyle that he would be designing for. Ben had found it silly, but it had taken a week of fights to convince Armie.

“How does it feel sleeping in the bed I used to fuck you in?” Armitage fired back.

“It’s great, especially when I bring home new men to fuck me in it.” It was a bald-faced lie, but Armie couldn’t know that. He couldn’t know that Ben hadn’t so much as kissed someone else since the divorce had been finalized.

Hux’s mouth twisted in disgust. Ben knew that look, and all it entailed, like the back of his own hand. He _hated_ it.

“Why’d you really come here, Armie?” Ben asked, knowing it was a bad idea to let this continue; it wouldn’t get any softer.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Your name?”

“We aren’t married, anymore. Stop acting like we’re still close,” Hux said.

Ben knew Hux hated being called Armie. It was part of why Ben had always used the nickname. Armitage had always allowed it, though he’d made a show of hating it when they were together; but now he wore that dark look of his when he heard it.

“Fine, Hux, what do you really want?” Ben asked, hoping to get to the bottom of this before he was late to the construction site.

“I told you that you need to call your—”

“And you know damn well that I’m not about to open that can of worms the week before I have to spend an entire day with her. So, what is it you _really_ want?” Ben asked again. Hux wasn’t one for playing coy. He’d come out and say what was on his mind fairly quickly. They’d never had an argument because Hux wasn’t willing to speak his mind, that was for certain. The fact that he was hesitating meant he didn’t like what he was about to say any more than Ben would.

“We need to act like we’re still married,” Hux finally said, straightening up to his full height and looking Ben in the eye like he was daring him to disagree.

“We couldn’t even do that when we _were_ married,” Ben retorted.

“Stop acting like a child. Neither of us want our mothers to know the unfortunate truth of our ill-advised relationship. The only way I see that we can guarantee that is to pretend that we are still happily married.”

“We were never happily married.”

“Can you think of something other than a punchline for a moment?”

“Can you think of anyone other than yourself? You could’ve told Leia that you had business out of town. You could’ve said you were working. Lord knows, that was your favorite excuse while we were actually together. You could’ve said anything, and she wouldn’t have pressed you, but you don’t trust me to lie for you, so you’re going to make us both suffer for it,” Ben complained, reaching for another of his paperweights.

Hux’s hand closed over his on top of the weight (shaped like the Eiffel Tower, where Hux had offhandedly proposed to him moments before Ben could get down on one knee). Hux was always cutting off Ben’s attempts at being a good partner, and then he’d complain that Ben never made any grand gestures.

“Why would I trust you? Because of you, I don’t have a job or a house or any self-respect, because I should’ve seen this trainwreck coming,” Hux said, squeezing Ben’s hand. “You have ruined my life, so you’re going to do this for me. I don’t care what it takes. I am not explaining to my mother that I am living with Phasma because I am jobless and homeless, just like you don’t want to explain to Leia why your marriage failed or the adoption papers disappeared.” He hadn’t blinked once.

Ben growled. Hux was right. He had obviously gone through every possible scenario and looked at the pros and cons of each. This was their best option. Hux was good at tactics and planning ahead; Ben tended to walk in and do what felt right at the time. It was part of the reason they butted heads so often. But when they were in sync...they were unstoppable.

“You think you have this all figured out,” Ben said calmly, ignoring the way his heart pounded in his chest at the minimal contact between them. He could already feel his palm getting sweaty against the paperweight.

“I’ve mapped the logistics…”

“You really think that we can fool anyone? We’ve been at each other’s throats since you barged in here.”

“Luckily, we’ve always been this way…”

Ben shook his head. “Is your head that far up your ass? Yes, we fought, but we weren’t always like this,” he said, trying to keep the sadness out of his tone.

He had never deluded himself into believing they’d had more ups than downs, but they _had_ loved each other. He remembered the nights they’d stayed up just arguing amicably over philosophy or architecture. Arguing had been their foreplay, until their words had become daggers aimed to injure.

Hux shook his head, as Ben had. “I can act convincing, if you can,” he said firmly, like a few words could smooth over the last year.

“I can be convincing,” Ben said, giving in to his competitive nature and forgetting all of the things this would entail.

“Good. I will email you the itinerary. I expect you to pick me up on Wednesday, no later than seven o’clock, and do get a haircut before we leave. No one would believe I let you wear it like that,” Hux said, pointing to the messy bun at the back of his skull.

Ben rolled his eyes. “They’d believe I’d do it just to piss you off,” he retorted. No one was touching his depression bun. Hux would have to cut it off himself, and Ben had no intentions of letting Hux anywhere near him with a pair of scissors, or without.

“Just sort yourself out, Ben,” Hux said, pulling his hand away from Ben’s and turning on his heel to walk out just as abruptly as he’d entered. Ben looked down at his hand and squeezed the paperweight, taking a slow breath.

“He’s just as charming as I remember,” Rose said, crossing her arms. “Your mother is going to see right through this, by the way.”

“Leia will see what she wants to see.”

“She hates Hux. She’d be happy that you divorced his ass,” she said, standing just inside the door.

“She wouldn’t be happy I got divorced. She’d be happy to be able to tell me that she told me it would never work. She’d be happy that she was right all along, and then she’d be happy to tell me just how disappointing it is to hear that I got a divorce, and that I always give up on things when they get tough. So, keep your opinions about things you know nothing about to yourself, Ms. Tiko,” Ben growled.

Rose gave him a look that said she wasn’t scared of him as she walked out of his office again.

Ben collapsed into his chair, breathing out a sigh as he stared at the cracked frame that held his and Armie’s wedding photo. Ben had thrown it across the room the day the divorce was finalized, but he’d immediately regretted it. He’d glued it back together and flattened the photo out before placing it back on his desk. He only hoped Armitage hadn’t seen it.

“This is going to be a nightmare,” Ben said to the empty room as he looked at the picture.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to Gefionne for betaing this story for me!

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Phasma said, walking out of her bedroom in nothing but a towel. She’d long since gotten used to Hux’s constant presence. A towel was actually more than she often wore when he was home. She liked to claim that she wasn’t going to be uncomfortable in her apartment just because he was residing on the couch.

“What would you have me do?” Hux asked, fighting with his hair in the bathroom mirror as he attempted to gel it into submission, with only minimal success. The beard had stayed. He figured that it would probably annoy Leia, so he’d stopped himself from shaving it off. Phasma liked to call it his depression beard, but it was just easier than having to shave every morning. It’s not like he had anyone to impress anymore—okay, maybe it was a depression beard.

It wasn’t like he was the only one who had let himself go. Ben was sporting that ridiculous bun, likely because he wouldn’t let anyone near him with a pair of scissors. Hux had cut his hair for him since they had gotten together because Ben couldn’t sit still with a weapon near his neck for anyone else.

“Are you even listening?” Phasma’s voice cut through his thoughts.

“Yes.”

Phasma rolled her eyes at him. “I said that you should just tell your mother that you got a divorce and stop hiding from it. People get divorced every day. It’s not a big deal—”

“This from the woman who told her mother she was backpacking across Europe during her two deployments to Afghanistan,” Hux shot back.

“She would’ve worried.”

“And if you hadn’t come back?”

“This isn’t about me, or my military career,” she snapped.

“No, this is about telling my mother that my ill-advised elopement was the disaster we all knew it would be, and that I’ve gone and destroyed my career and any hope at success because of a man who was more rage than flesh and bone,” Hux ranted.

“She’s going to find out. You two can’t even be in the same room without fighting...or fucking,” Phasma said.

“It will work because it has to work. I’m going because I don’t trust Ben not to fuck this up for me.”

“She isn’t Brendol, Armitage.”

“Because I’ve never given her a reason to be disappointed in me.”

“Brendol didn’t need a reason. Tell her, and don’t put yourself through this again. You were just getting back to bathing semi-regularly and eating at least once a day. I don’t want to have to carry you to the shower again,” she told him.

“I’ll be fine.”

The buzzer went off just then, and Hux cursed. His hair was a mess, and he was still wearing his bathrobe.

“I’ll get it, but I make no promises about what I do or say,” she told him, walking into the bedroom again and putting on sweats in ten seconds flat.

Hux looked at himself in the mirror. His cheeks were more sunken than ever, and his coloring was corpse-like. He’d lost nearly twenty pounds during the divorce—weight which he couldn’t afford to lose. Opening up his robe, he swallowed thickly at how thin he’d become.

Hux closed his robe and slipped into Phasma’s room as she waited by the door for Ben to come up. Hux looked at the clothes he’d laid out on Phasma’s bed: the slacks and button-up would show just how much weight he’d lost. Even his wool coat wouldn’t hide it.

Walking to the small chest in the corner of her room, he opened it and pulled out a heavy sweater. He’d be swimming in it, but it would hide the worst of the evidence.

Hux dressed quickly, not trusting Phasma and Ben in the same room together. He picked up another sweater from the chest and put it in his bag along with another pair of pants.

Ben’s back was to him as he stepped out of the bedroom. His shoulders were tense, and his hair was still in that ridiculous bun. Hux allowed himself an eyeroll while Ben’s back was still turned.

“You’re on time,” Hux said flatly.

“Got off work early. Don’t think it’s because you asked,” Ben grunted, turning to face him.

Hux hated how good he looked. He hadn’t lost weight since they’d split. In fact, his face looked a bit fuller than it had, which made him look more mature. It suited him, and Hux hated it.

“Trust me, I wouldn’t be so delusional,” Hux said, carrying his bag over and dropping it on the couch.

Ben gave him a tight smile, then grabbed his bag from the couch before Hux could stop him. “Let’s go. No point standing here trying to make smalltalk,” Ben said.

“I can carry my own bag.”

“Yeah, I saw you carry it out here. Good job,” Ben retorted, walking right back out the door with it.

Hux opened his mouth to give Ben a piece of his mind, but Phasma gave him a look. “Pick your battles,” she whispered as he walked past her to follow his neanderthal of an ex-husband.

“I should’ve done a better job of picking a mate in the first place,” he grumbed.

Hux froze in place when they stepped outside Phasma’s building. Ben was sitting astride his Harley. His long, long legs straddled the bike easily, and Ben sat with his arm outstretched, holding the helmet he’d bought Hux when they’d gotten married.

“What is this?” Hux asked, standing on the sidewalk like an idiot.

“A motorcycle.”

“I know it’s a goddamn motorcycle, you ass. Why do you have this instead of your car?” Hux demanded, taking a step forward to avoid a woman bustling past.

“My pickup isn’t exactly convenient in the city, and you know it,” Ben said, sounding like he saw no problem with this at all.

“And how am I supposed to ride with you?”

“You straddle it and ride. You should know how that goes,” Ben said suggestively.

“I’m not spending the drive out to Long Island on the back of your motorcycle,” Hux hissed. He would not spend so much as a minute pressed against Ben’s back while the powerful engine of the bike rumbled beneath them. There were just some lines Hux would not cross.

“Guess you’ll need to call a cab then,” Ben said, shrugging.

“You bastard.

“Why don’t you just drive your stupid car?”

“I had to sell it. It’s hard to make payments when you have no job,” Hux barked.

Ben actually paused at that, and that only made Hux feel worse. He didn’t want pity, and he certainly didn’t want it from Ben.

“Just give me the damn helmet,” Hux said, snatching the it from Ben’s hands. It wasn’t like he had any other options; he couldn’t even afford a cab ride at this point. Maybe he could blame the weight loss on the state of his finances if Ben noticed.

“Wear your bag like a backpack,” Ben said as Hux threw his leg over the back of the bike. Hux reached down and pulled the straps of the duffel up his arms. It wasn’t the first time he’d done this with Ben, and he knew Ben would have no trouble keeping balance, even with the ungainly bag shifting with Hux behind him.

Hux didn’t say anything as he tried to arrange his coat, so it wouldn’t catch the wind and possibly get stuck in the wheel. It was not exactly easy. “You could’ve told me you had the Harley,” he complained.

“You wouldn’t have come downstairs, then.”

“I wonder why that is,” Hux retorted.

“It wasn’t my fault. You were drunk, and you undid my damn belt and shoved your hand down my pants while I was riding,” Ben said quietly.

“I had a concussion and a broken collarbone,” Hux snapped.

“And I shattered my shoulder taking the brunt of the impact for you,” Ben hit right back.

“I’m not discussing this. Let’s just go,” Hux said, finally arranging himself.

Ben shook his head, but he started the engine. Hux cringed at how loud it was as he tentatively wrapped his arms around Ben’s waist. He hated how his heart suddenly fluttered at the contact. He hated how firm and warm Ben’s body was. He hated how he felt safe despite their history.

Without waiting for a command, Ben pulled away from the sidewalk and began to weave the bike through the city streets with ease. Hux never loosened his grip on Ben’s waist, but he was always mesmerized by how gracefully Ben could slip through the busy streets. It was almost as though he knew exactly what other drivers would do before they did, and he never hesitated in his movements.

In hardly any time at all, they were driving up the FDR drive. Ben weaved in and out of the lanes, which made Hux’s heart race, but Ben was careful.

On Ben’s bike, the drive out to Long Island was faster than it should’ve been, but it was still plenty long enough for Hux’s thoughts to get the better of him.

“ _How are you going to blast without compromising the nearby structures?” Armitage asked, standing in the middle of an old building, which needed to be torn down before his vision could be erected._

“ _I've got the best demo guy around,” Han said, standing like a man who cared little about what others thought of him._ Solo Construction _had a spotty reputation for customer service, but their work was phenomenal._

“ _For your sake, I hope you do, because people tend to get heated when you accidentally demolish a hundred-and-fifty-year-old church along with the derelict you mean to destroy,” Armitage said, looking around the space._

“ _Trust m—”_

_Han's words were drowned out by the ear shattering rumble of a motorcycle. Hux waited for it to pass, but the sound just continued to echo through the cavernous space._

“ _That's him now,” Han shouted over the roar._

“ _Who?”_

“ _My demo guy.”_

_Hux cursed. Of course, it was. Clearly, the man had it out for his poor ears—and those of anyone close to him. Hux followed Han out of the building to find the culprit sitting astride a massive Harley, looking up at the decrepit building like it fascinated him._

“ _Ben, cut the engine,” Han shouted, waving at the man, who wasn't paying them any attention._

_Ben did not cut the engine even as he removed his helmet to reveal hair, which defied physics. Hux was confused as to how the man didn't have helmet hair, going as far as to look perfectly tussled._

_Han picked up a pebble and threw it in the vicinity of the motorcycle, and suddenly Ben's attention was zeroed in on the two of them. His deep brown eyes felt like they were pinning Hux in place as he gave him a once over._

_The engine cut out, and Ben swung his long leg over the bike to stand up. Hux was impressed by his height, and by the breadth of him._

“ _Don't throw shit at my bike,” he said in a deep voice._

“ _It's the only way to get your attention.”_

“ _Ever think that I'm ignoring you on purpose?” Ben retorted, striding over to them. “Who's the suit?”_

“ _I am not a suit. I am the architect of this project—the man who designed it all—”_

“ _You doing to knock this piece of shit down yourself and rebuild it?” Ben asked, getting right into Hux's personal space. He smelled like wood smoke and wilderness, and it was incredibly distracting._

“ _No—”_

“ _Then don't make it sound like you're the only invaluable part of this operation,” Ben told him, leaning it just a hair closer. “Do you even know how to hammer a nail?”_

“ _I am perfectly capable of_ hammering things,” _Hux told him. It was a lie. He'd hired a handyman to hang his artwork on the wall just last week._

“ _I don't doubt you could hammer things, but I asked about a nail,” Ben said softly, for only Hux to hear._

_Hux was taken aback._

“ _I-I...”_

“ _Ignore Ben. He's an asshole,” Han said. “Best demo guy in the business, but an asshole.”_

“ _Who's responsible for that, huh?” Ben snapped back, and Hux was lost._

“ _Don't blame my DNA on that. You're half Leia, too. You never blame her for being an ass,” Han retorted._

“ _Maybe because mom never insulted a foreign diplomat to his face and nearly started a war,” Ben said._

“ _I just want to know that you aren't going to take down the church with this monstrosity. I really don't care about your personal lives,” Hux told them both. He was getting a headache between the noise and the dust and the strangely alluring scent that Ben was giving off. Had the man rolled around in a burned-out campfire before coming to work?_

_Ben's eyes were back on him, giving him a icy glare. “I know how to do my job, so why don't you get out of our way?”_

_Hux wanted to argue. He refused to be spoken to like that, but there wasn't any reason for him to stick around. He didn't want dust to completely ruin his clothing._

“ _I expect you to keep to the timeline, and I will be monitoring progress,” Hux said. He felt like a fool as he walked back to his Mercedes. He could feel eyes on his back as he dusted himself off, before sliding into the soft leather seat._

* * *

“ _I need you at the construction site,” the voice in the message said. Hux frowned at the phone. It sounded like Han, but it wasn't from his number._

_Hux didn't bother thinking about it too much. He'd been butting heads with Han and Ben for the last week. Hux understood why people didn't want to work with these two, despite the quality of their work. Every time Hux had to speak with them, they started to fight._

_Pulling up to the construction site, Hux was confused. There was no one around, and no lights on._

_Hux got out of his car and carefully made his way to the gate, using his key to let himself in. Everything was eerily quiet as Hux walked to the framed-out structure. Ben had demolished the old building as expertly as Han had promised._

“ _I'm surprised you actually came,” Ben said from the shadows._

_Hux spun around to see him step out from behind one of the metal columns._

“ _You wanted me to think you were Han,” Hux said, feeling a chill creep up his spine._

“ _I wanted you to come.”_

“ _Why?”_

“ _Because we have unfinished business,” Ben told him._

_Dread seized him as his mind came up with all of the different ways Ben could kill him and dispose of his body here. He shouldn't have come._

“ _What business?”_

_Ben smiled at him, walking forward until they were breathing the same air. “You know exactly what I'm talking about,” Ben whispered, before stealing a kiss._

_The adrenaline in Hux's body only served to intensify the kiss as Ben pulled him close. He didn't pull back as Ben sought entrance to his mouth, and he could hardly catch his breath as Ben deepened the kiss._

“ _What makes you think that I have any interest in you?” Hux asked, breathless and voice trembling._

_Ben smiled at him. “You think I haven't seen the way you watch me on my bike?” he asked. “You aren't as subtle or refined as you like to believe.”_

“ _I stare because I'm shocked by your behavior, not—”_

_Ben kissed him again, grinding into Hux and certainly feeling how hard Hux was in his slacks._

“ _Tell me to fuck off now, or I'm going to fuck you on my bike,” Ben told him, cupping Hux's erection through his pants._

_Hux gasped. He wasn't certain if it was because of Ben's touch or his suggestion, but Hux couldn't—didn't want to—form the words to deny him. He'd never done anything like this before. He'd had sex, of course, but it was usually planned. He'd start with a dinner out, then go back to one of theirs. There would be wine and conversation. There would be a bed and sometimes candles or music._

_Ben bent and grabbed Hux around the waist before throwing him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. It was undignified, and Hux opened his mouth to berate Ben, but all that came out was a long moan as his erection pressed against Ben's shoulder._

_Hux couldn't see where they were going, but Ben moved with purpose through the construction site, and before Hux could regain his senses, he was being lowered onto a the seat of Ben's motorcycle. Ben stood in front of him, looking at him like he had the building the first day they met, like he was planning something out in his mind._

“ _Take your clothes off,” Ben ordered, pulling his own t-shirt over his head and throwing it to the ground._

_Hux watched with wide eyes as Ben unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly. “I said get undressed,” Ben said, pausing his own movements until Hux got with the program._

“ _You mean to have sex right here? Right now?”_

“ _Where else would we do it?” Ben asked, like he'd never heard of a bed before._

_Hux's pulse raced at the danger of it all._

“ _But, evening mass is going on next door.”_

“ _You worried God's going to be mad at you?”_

“ _No, don't be silly.”_

“ _You're the one acting like you forgot how to have sex.”_

_Hux grumbled as he pulled off his coat and draped it over the bike, refusing to toss it to the ground. He unbuttoned his shirt slowly, and about halfway down Ben lost his patience._

“ _Let me,” Ben said, gripping both sides of the shirt and tearing it open the rest of the way. Hux could hear a button ping off the concrete beneath them, but before he could say anything, Ben had his pants open and was pulling him to his feet. He yanked them down Hux's legs as he stood beside the bike, then he pulled down Hux's underwear as well, leaving him completely exposed._

_Hux felt goosebumps rise on his skin as he stood completely naked in the cool air. “Sit on the bike,” Ben commanded._

_Hux moved to straddle the bike, and Ben quickly guided him to sit how he wanted. Hux's pulse raced as he lay belly down over the seat of the Harley. He gulped at he felt the cool leather and chrome against his bare skin._

_Ben's fingers ran down his spine as he straddled the bike as well. He pulled Hux up to press his back to Ben's chest._

_Hux gasped as Ben wrapped his fingers around his cock, stroking him with a slicked hand. Hux was confused for a moment until he saw a sachet of lube fall to the ground beside the bike. Ben had planned ahead._

_Ben pressed forward, grinding his cock against the small of Hux's back as he rocked his hips back and forth. He continued to stroke Hux's cock and run his other hand over Hux's body._

_This was one of the dirtiest things Hux had ever done—and it had nothing to do with the construction debris that was clinging to his socks. Ben grunted in his ear as he pulled Hux tight against him and rotated his hips._

“ _Touch yourself,” Ben whispered in his ear before letting go of him._

_Hux was too turned on to question it, and he wrapped one hand around himself even as the other gripped Ben's thigh tightly._

_Ben reached forward, grasping the handle bars, and squeezing the clutch before pressing the starter. The bike rumbled to life, and Hux immediately felt the heavy vibrations all through his body._

“ _Lean forward,” Ben said, guiding Hux to his belly again, and that did it._

_Hux could hardly breathe as the rumble of the engine vibrated right through the seat and stimulated his cock. Ben was still grinding against his ass, and it was just too much._

“ _I can't last,” Hux warned, delirious but still concerned about what Ben might do if he spilled all over his bike._

“ _I'm right there with you,” Ben promised, teasing Hux's nipples with his fingers and planting kisses against his shoulder._

_Hux moaned loudly as his body tightened, and he spilled over the seat of the bike—waves of pleasure washing over him. The noises he made were drowned out by the engine, but the roar Ben made as he spilled all over the small of Hux's back broke free of the rumble of the engine and pierced the evening air._

_Ben's forehead was pressed to his back as they both panted. Hux shook as each vibration pushed him closer to overstimulation, but Ben killed the engine before it became painful. They both remained quiet, breathing raggedly, as they thought about what they'd just done._

“I need to piss,” Ben said loudly as the engine cut out.

Hux shook his head and looked around them. They’d pulled into a gas station, and Ben was sitting very stiffly in front of him, probably waiting for him to move.

“Sorry,” Hux muttered, letting go of Ben’s waist as though he’d been burned.

“Stay on the bike. I’ll be right back,” Ben grunted, getting up and walking stiffly across the lot to the convenience store.

“Stupid,” Hux muttered to himself, punching the seat in front of him.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks once again go to Gefionne for being an awesome person and wonderful beta!

Ben stepped into the rancid-smelling bathroom ready to break something. He walked right over to the sink and splashed water over his face before adjusting his dick in his jeans.

He didn’t know what Hux’s game was, but one minute they were driving down the highway and the next Hux was making breathy little sounds in his ear like on the rare occasions he’d let Ben fuck him. How was Ben supposed to concentrate on driving when Hux was doing that?

Ben gripped the edge of the sink and let his head hang for a few moments. This was a mistake. They couldn’t be around each other without digging at all the scars just to see each other suffer. Sure, it had been a low blow to pick Hux up on the bike when Hux wasn’t exactly comfortable with the thing on the best of occasions. Maybe Ben had wanted to know what it felt like to have Hux’s arms around him again; he was weak like that. Not that it had worked, with how thick Hux’s coat was, not to mention the hideous sweater he was wearing beneath it. Ben might as well have been riding with a Stay Puft marshmallow for how much he could feel.

So, maybe he deserved the sex noises in his ear. Maybe he deserved the raging erection he was sporting. He should’ve seen payback coming, but he hadn’t because Hux was a blind spot and always had been.

Ben splashed water over his face once more before stepping into the dilapidated stall and unzipping and shoving his too-tight jeans down. He wrapped his hand around his cock and jerked himself roughly until he felt his balls tighten and shot his load into the stained toilet.

Groaning, Ben pulled toilet paper from the roller and wiped up the mess before dropping it into the toilet.

“You still in here?” Hux’s voice cut through Ben’s thoughts.

“I told you to stay on the bike,” Ben barked, feeling completely exposed, despite the stall around him.

“It’s been fifteen minutes. I thought you might have just left me here.”

“Wouldn’t do that to my bike,” Ben said, hastily shoving his cock back into his pants and zipping back up.

“Are you done?” Hux asked, arms folded over his chest as Ben exited the stall.

“Since when did you concern yourself with what I did in the bathroom?”

“Since I spent the last fifteen minutes fending off assholes who want to check out your bike.”

Ben rolled his eyes.

“Wash your goddamn hands,” Hux snapped at him.

Ben turned and did as he was told, mostly because he couldn’t identify some of the stains he saw on the walls, and he didn’t really want to take that with him.

“Let’s go,” Ben grunted, shouldering past Hux and practically knocking him right into one of those mystery stains.

Hux made an angry noise, but he didn’t say anything as he followed Ben back to the Harley. Neither of them spoke as they got back on the motorcycle. The air was a sight too cold for the ride to be pleasant, and the tension between them was more ice than fire, so that wasn’t even keeping them warm.

Hux’s body against his, though…

The second Hux slid forward to press in close, Ben was completely aware of every inch of him. It felt like pressing his back against the wall in a burning building, the heat seeping through the walls trying to envelop him despite the barrier between them.

“Are you going to start the bike, or do you want to sleep here in the parking lot tonight?” Hux asked, lips brushing his ear.

Ben shivered involuntarily, firing up the engine at the same time in a weak attempt to mask it. Hux didn’t say anything, so perhaps he hadn’t noticed, or maybe he just didn’t give a damn.

The rest of the drive was uncomfortable. Ben was left with memories he wasn’t ready to face. For six months, he’d been suppressing everything that had passed between them, but just feeling Hux this close had memories pouring in at the weak seams in Ben’s armor.

“ _Your beer is in the door,” Hux called from the living room, where he was sitting with his nightly glass of wine and whatever book he was currently reading. He went through them so fast that Ben didn’t try to keep up. When they’d started dating, Ben had tried to read what Armie was to have something to talk about because he didn’t want Armitage to think he was an ignorant grunt, only capable of demolitions on a construction site._

_The few book discussions they had shared had resulted in arguments that resulted in very charged sex. It wasn’t that Ben didn’t enjoy the sex, but he wanted his security deposit back when he moved out of this apartment, and the walls weren’t going to last that long if he kept reading what Hux was._

“ _Thanks,” Ben said, coming into the living room with his beer. Armie must have picked it up on the way home from the office._

“ _I was thinking Thai food, but I’m not against Italian, if you have a preference,” Armie said, never looking up from his book. It looked like some kind of military thriller. Ben found all those sorts of things to be bullshit._

“ _Order what you want. I’m going to take a shower,” Ben said, feeling like he was still caked in debris from the site._

_Armie didn’t say anything, just kept reading as Ben walked down the hall to their shared bedroom, sipping his beer as he went. He stripped out of his clothes in the bathroom and let the shower heat up before stepping inside with his beer. He placed it on the little ledge in the corner before bracing his arms against the wall and plunging his head under the showerhead._

_Ben let the powerful stream of water wash away the long day. He could feel the little dust particles coming free and slipping away. It felt good, like a weight he hadn’t known he was carrying was being lifted._

_Two arms wrapped around Ben’s strong waist, and despite not noticing Armie’s entrance, Ben didn’t so much as flinch. Armie’s body slotted against his back perfectly, just feeling completely right as they stood there._

“ _I ordered Italian. I thought it would give us more time since they always take forever to deliver,” Armie whispered against Ben’s ear, taking it between his teeth and worrying it._

“ _Always thinking ahead,” Ben said, pressing back against Hux’s budding erection._

“ _One of us has to,” Hux said, though it wasn’t malicious. Armitage’s fingers splayed over Ben’s belly and slowly made their way down, combing through the coarse hair above his cock. His long fingers wrapped around Ben, and Ben’s knees nearly gave out. “Long day?”_

“ _You have no idea,” Ben murmured, groaning as Armie stroked him exactly how he liked it._

“ _I’ll take care of everything,” Armitage said, kissing his neck as he gave him a squeeze._

_Ben groaned, spilling over Armie’s fingers, though it was instantly washed away by the shower. He would’ve been embarrassed by how fast he’d come, but he was too tired to care, and Armie’s embrace felt too good._

“ _Turn around,” Armitage commanded gently, guiding Ben to face him._

_Ben didn’t open his eyes as me moved. He didn’t question it as Armie pressed his beer into his hand._

_Soapy hands rubbed over Ben’s body, and he sagged against the wall as he allowed Armitage to wash him. He sighed as his fingers moved smoothly over his skin, leaving trails of electricity in their wake._

_Ben tipped his beer back and sipped as Armie sank down to his knees and soaped up Ben’s legs. “I love these. Love it when you wrap them around me,” Armie murmured, pressing his lips to Ben’s inner thigh._

_Ben glanced down to see Armie stroking his own cock as he kissed up and down Ben’s legs. He smiled, loving the view he had of Armie’s spread knees, cock standing proud between them as he jerked himself roughly._

“ _Fuck. Finger yourself while you do that,” Ben requested, taking a gulp of his beer before placing it back on the ledge beside Armie’s glass of wine._

“ _I’m not a show pony,” Armie insisted, but his hand was already slipping between his legs._

_Ben watched with his mouth hanging slack as Armitage pleasured himself shamelessly. Ben reached down and pressed two fingers into his mouth and groaned as Armie sucked on them._

_Armitage came with a breathy sigh as Ben’s fingers slipped free, and he collapsed in the bottom of the shower._

_Ben helped him up and held his glass to his lips before returning the favor of washing his body. “Fuck Italian. I want to take you to bed.”_

“ _They’re going to stop delivering here if we never answer the door,” Armie argued as he turned off the water._

“You missed your own driveway,” Hux shouted in Ben’s ear. He hadn’t even come close to turning into his mother’s driveway.

Ben cursed himself as he turned around at the end of the cul-de-sac and made it look like he’d planned it all along: he turned into the gated drive and stopped for the guard. He was waved through and drove up the winding drive to his mother’s house.

“The kids are already here,” Hux sighed as Ben cut the engine.

“I’m pretty sure Rey comes home from school every weekend to see Finn,” Ben said, shrugging his shoulders. He wasn’t close to his adopted sister, but Leia always talked about her when she called. Han wouldn’t shut up about her, either.

Ben had already been away at college when Leia had fostered Rey, and he’d been living on his own when the adoption finally went through. Was he bitter? Yes. Was that a battle worth fighting? Not at this point.

“They’re old enough to drink now, aren’t they?”

“Yes. Rey said something about going out tonight.”

“When?”

“At the 4th of July party Leia had,” Ben said, waving it off as he waited for Hux to let go of him, so they could get off the bike.

“You said you never went to that,” Hux said accusingly.

“Well, maybe I was sick of coming home to an empty house, so dealing with my family didn’t seem so bad for one night. Are you going to let go of me, or are we just going to sit in the driveway all night? If that’s the case, we didn’t have to come all this way,” Ben snapped.

Hux pulled his arms away, and he was off the bike before Ben could say anything else. Ben felt the loss immediately, like the strange little truce that came with being forced to press together for well over an hour could be snapped with just a careless word or two.

Hux didn’t wait for Ben to get his belongings out of the saddlebags before walking up the walkway to the front door. Ben was just catching up when Leia opened the door with a sedate smile.

“I half expected you to tell him I wasn’t hosting this year and keep him to yourself,” she addressed Hux.

“I wouldn’t want to deprive you of your less-favored child,” Hux said, walking right into the house without being invited in.

“Leia,” Ben said, following him.

“Ben,” she returned, mimicking his tone. “Your husband is still as charming as ever.”

“People don’t really change, Mom,” Ben said, giving up addressing her as Leia as soon as he remembered that it didn’t bother her at all.

Leia reached up and pulled him down for a tight hug. “It’s good to see you,” she said, kissing one cheek and patting the other.

“Good to see you too, Mom,” Ben said, letting her hold him tightly.

“I assume we’ll be in the same room as always,” Hux said, sounding impatient.

“Actually, Rey moved into Ben’s old room over the summer since she needed more space, and Elana and Rae will be set up in the guest room, so you’ll be in Rey’s old room,” Leia explained.

“Are you kidding me?” Ben said, pulling away from his mother.

“I know it’s a little tight, but it’s that or in the living room, and after two Thanksgivings ago, I don’t know if anyone is ready to see two stuffed birds in one night, again,” Leia said, making a face that only she could get away with.

Hux turned red as he carried his bag up the stairs.

“I shouldn’t have said that. You know how I get when he’s here,” Leia apologized when it was just them.

“He’s not entirely comfortable in his own skin,” Ben said, defending Hux without thinking. “He wouldn’t let me touch him for a week after that.”

“I’m genuinely sorry, Ben,” Leia said, touching his forearm lightly. “I want this to be a good holiday.”

“I know,” Ben said, trying to tell himself it was nothing that he was standing up for Hux. It was just part of the act. Ben had thrown a lamp across the room when they’d been walked in on that night. He was known for being violent and overprotective.

“Get settled in. Rey is dying to drag you out to the bar. She says it’s tradition, or something, for people to go to the bar the night before Thanksgiving. I don’t know what she’s so excited about. It’s just a bunch of drunk people no matter which way you cut it, but she’d like to share it with you...and Armitage.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll let Hux know,” Ben said, sidestepping to follow Hux’s path.

“Not Armie?” Leia questioned.

Ben cursed under his breath. He’d always used Armie in front of her. “He’s been anal about it lately. Just trying to make it habit,” Ben played it off.

“Peculiar fellow,” Leia said, shaking her head.

“Wouldn’t have married him if he wasn’t,” Ben said, walking up the stairs.

“Isn’t that the truth.”

* * *

 

Hux stood in the middle of the too-small room, trying to convince himself that this wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever had. The twin-sized bed was made up with pink sheets that he knew for a fact Rey had despised because she’d said as much with regularity.

They were expected to share this. They were both over six feet tall. Ben was built like a barn. This was ridiculous.

And her comment about the living room! Hux groaned. Ben had promised they’d all be asleep, and they wouldn’t be disturbed. Rey had come down to get a glass of water and caught them...and the rest was humiliating history.

Hux sat down on the bed and looked around the room. It had a couple things that had probably belonged to Ben ages ago, but it was mostly empty. There was nothing nostalgic to be found within these drab gray walls. There were no happy photographs or old trophies from childhood achievements.

It was just a room, in a house that wasn’t exactly welcoming.

“Rey wants to go to the bar,” Ben said, stepping inside.

“Is that a good idea?” Hux asked, remembering the last time they’d gone to a bar, during one of their failed reconciliations.

“I have no reason to start throwing barstools,” Ben said, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

Hux wasn’t sure why their interactions had turned unsure and tentative, but it was a marked change from their ordinarily combative stances. Hux wasn’t sure he prefered this.

“Right,” Hux said. “Well, I would like a few minutes to unpack before I do anything. Feel free to do whatever it is you do when here.”

Ben gave him a weird look. “Leia shouldn’t have said that to you…”

“I don’t want to talk about your mother’s comments or our ill-advised sex.”

“Well get used to it because Leia is Leia, and we had a lot of shameless sex when we were married, so it comes up,” Ben snapped back.

“Whatever, let’s just get out of here,” Hux said, standing up and walking to the door.

“I thought you wanted a minute,” Ben said, stepping aside to let him through. It was like he couldn’t even bear to touch him anymore, like how he’d tensed up on the ride here. Hux felt vile as he stepped past him, like his touch would pollute.

“I don’t want to spend another minute in here. I don’t know how we’re supposed to sleep in here. She’s taunting us with that bed,” Hux snapped, walking down the hall and leaving Ben to follow, if he chose.

“I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“Don’t get chivalrous now, Ben. It doesn’t suit you,” Hux fired back, not knowing where it came from, but feeling like a cornered animal.

“Give it a rest, Armie. I’m trying to work with you—”

“Don’t call me that,” Hux snapped, rounding on Ben.

“Leia already called me on calling you Hux. If you want this to work, you’re going to have to get used to it.”

Hux growled. He knew Ben was right, but he didn’t know if he could take it. He wasn’t sure he’d survive hearing Ben constantly using his nickname. Ben was the only one who Hux let get away with it, and it brought back such a flood of memories that it physically hurt.

“Let’s just go before your sister gets impatient,” Hux said, trying to calm his raging nerves.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Ben said, falling into step. Hux hated how familiar it felt to walk side-by-side with him.

The moment of nostalgia was broken as Rey came bounding up the stairs with her boyfriend close behind her. “You made it! Are you two ready to go?” she asked, enveloping Ben in a hug that was as awkward as it was fierce. They weren’t known for getting along, but they still made an effort for Leia.

“As we’ll ever be,” Ben said, letting his sister go and turning her, so they could all continue down the stairs.

“Finn,” Ben said quietly.

Finn looked uncomfortable as he gave them both an awkward smile. Ben had tried to take his head off when he heard he was dating Rey. Things had been tense since then, but Finn had proven himself to be a good boyfriend, even if Ben refused to see it.

“Behave,” both Rey and Hux said as they looked at Ben.

“Let’s just go,” Ben said, walking past them and out the door.

“This was a mistake,” Hux said under his breath as he followed the others.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to Kyluxtrashcompactor for betaing this chapter for me!

The bar Ben drove them to was packed, and it smelled like sweat and travel—like everyone inside had spent too many hours crammed too close to other people and taking a little bit of that with them.  Hux hated travel for that reason.  He much preferred to stay home and enjoy everything he’d worked so hard to earn...well, that was before he lost it all.  Now, spending a holiday away from Phasma’s couch seemed like a dream.

Rey eagerly showed the bouncer her ID as they were stopped at the door.  The large man looked at her, then at him and Ben.  

“You with these two?” he asked Rey.

“Yes,” Rey responded, looking over her shoulder and smiling at Ben.  

Hux wasn’t sure what she was so happy about. She and Ben had a tense relationship at the best of times, and Hux doubted Ben had gotten any more likable since their divorce.

“I’m her brother,” Ben said, clearly getting a vibe off the bouncer.

The man nodded, letting them in without further questioning.  

Rey led the way to a table close to the bar which had just been vacated. She even glared down a couple that was headed for the same seats. Hux wasn’t sure how she had such luck, but he knew for certain that if he’d attempted the same thing someone would’ve snatched it first.  He was impressed.

Ben may have also had something to do with it, standing a head taller than Rey and glaring in all directions.  Hux never found it particularly menacing, but some people frightened easily.

Rey slid into the corner seat, and Finn sat down next to her.  Hux and Ben stared at each other for several seconds, both willing the other to awkwardly shimmy into the seat first.  

“I don’t trust you across from Finn.  You might kick him,” Hux said reasonably.

“You are half my size,” Ben said, whispering in Hux’s ear.  To observers, it probably looked like an intimate moment, but in reality it was all a power play.

“And I have a small bladder.  You’ll be getting up and down all night to let me out.”

“Or I could just let you piss yourself,” Ben retorted.

“Get in the damn seat, Ben,” Hux insisted.

“Not on your life,” Ben said, stepping back.  “First round’s on me,” Ben said to Finn and Rey, walking over to the bar and leaving Hux to either stand there like an idiot or slide into the seat.  Hux balled his fists as he took his seat.

“Did you two have a good trip?” Finn asked politely as Hux settled in.

“It was…as good as to be expected,” Hux said, weighing his words carefully.

“Yeah, riding a motorcycle in late November is a gamble,” Rey said, misunderstanding his words.  

“Taking a motorcycle any time is a gamble,” Hux noted.  He couldn’t pretend he enjoyed the death trap since their little spill, though it hadn’t been nearly as serious as it could’ve been—and Hux was more than partially responsible.

Hux wouldn’t say that Ben saved him by coming back with drinks, but it certainly took the attention off of him, especially since Ben hadn’t actually taken drink orders before going to the bar.

Ben placed four shots on the table before going back to the bar and bringing over four glasses as well.  

Hux looked down at the golden liquid in the shot glass.  “Is this tequila?” he asked, wrinkling his nose.

“Yeah,” Ben said, nodding as he slid easily into the outside seat.

“What am I, seventeen?” Hux asked, nudging the glass away.

“They just turned twenty-one. They love tequila,” Ben said gruffly, tipping his head at  Rey and Finn.  Sure enough, both of them were already holding up the glasses ready to toast, but looking a bit awkward due to Hux’s comment.

Hux sighed. The one time Ben wasn’t being a complete ass, and Hux had to go stick his foot in his mouth.  

“Cheers,” Hux said, lifting up his glass.

“To being together,” Rey said, clinking her shot to everyone else’s.

“To family,” Finn added as he tapped his glass to Rey’s.  

Hux smiled tightly.  He knew that both Finn and Rey had grown up in the system, so family was precious to them when family to Hux was often something he wished he would rid himself of completely.  He’d done so successfully with Ben, but he had wounds far deeper than any Ben had caused.  Ben’s were just still fresh.

Ben didn’t say anything as he tapped his glass then knocked it back.  Hux almost felt the urge to find his hand beneath the table and lace their fingers, but that was just muscle memory.  It wasn’t anything practical or welcome.

“Wow, that was shit,” Rey said, coughing as she took her shot.

“Ben isn’t known for his particularly discerning taste in alcohol,” Hux said, trying not to make a face as he got the aftertaste of the awful tequila.  

“Not everyone can afford a two hundred dollar bottle of brandy every couple of weeks,” Ben retorted, but when he started passing around the beers, Hux noticed a brandy snifter among them.

When the glass appeared in front of him, he knew it was his preferred brandy.  He raised it to his lips and took a whiff of the fragrant aromas before sipping it.  It was as delightful as he remembered. Unfortunately he hadn’t been able to afford such luxuries while living at Phasma’s.

Rey and Finn were not so lucky in what Ben had chosen for them.  Their drinks were not even served in glasses but plastic pints, filled with the night’s special which was some watery light nonsense.  Ben was drinking it too, so neither Rey nor Finn complained, but Hux saw Rey wince at the taste.

Conversation actually picked up naturally as Rey asked Ben about work or shared about school.  Finn added in little anecdotes of his own, and Hux sipped his brandy.  

“Are you working on any projects right now?” Rey asked, turning to Hux.

“I’m between projects,” Hux said, so used to the question by now.  He didn’t know how many times he’d told the lie to his mother or her wife.  He’d told it to Phasma’s landlord when he picked up her mail in the morning.  He’d told it to the barista before he stopped getting coffee because he couldn’t afford it.

“He’s always sketching though,” Ben cut in like he had any proof of that.  “Armie’s always designing his dream home or the next monument to his genius.”

Hux felt his pulse kick up, in part due to the way he said Armie the way that he used to—like it didn’t pain him at all.  His pulse also raced because he couldn’t tell if Ben was making fun of his habit of constantly designing things—often odes to his own brilliance.  The familiarity of it rankled.

Rey laughed lightly, smiling at Hux.  “Have you designed Ben and you a new home recently?” she asked, somehow managing to be just charming enough that Hux couldn’t snap at her.

“I have designed Ben a particularly fitting doghouse, but nothing worth noting,” Hux told her.

That had both her and Finn laughing as Ben grumbled.  Hux couldn’t admit that he’d never stopped working on his dream design for their home even after he’d taken his place on Phasma’s couch.  That was too humiliating to even think about.

Conversation shifted to other topics until Poe Dameron walked into the bar.  “He made it,” Rey whispered to Finn, and Finn beamed at Poe.  

Poe sauntered through the bar, greeting the locals as he walked.  People fell over themselves to say hello to him and kiss his cheek or give him a hug.  Poe took it all in stride, and by the time he stepped in front of their table, he was wearing a big grin.

Ben, on the other hand, wore a deep frown.  Hux kept his hands and comments to himself as he greeted Poe with a small nod as Finn and Rey got up to hug him and find a chair for him.  

It wasn’t even surprising when someone around the bar offered up their chair for Poe to use.  Hux could see the way it made Ben’s eye twitch.

“I’m getting another beer,” Ben said, sliding out of his seat.

Hux just kept his pleasant smile as Poe immediately took over the conversation, telling Finn and Rey about his latest deployment.  The man always had a story to tell.

_Hux hated when he was forced to go to events Leia hosted.  The woman hosted no shortage of events either.  Thankfully, she only invited Ben—and by extension his fiance—to the more important events._

_Thankfully, the alcohol was free and the quality of it was top notch.  The company left something to be desired, but most of these people were so intent on their own agenda that they ignored anyone who didn’t further it._

_Hux took a sip of his third scotch of the evening, and watched the guests pitch their agendas to each other.  Ben had been dragged away by his mother to go only who knew where. Leia was probably holding Ben hostage just to irritate Hux, but the joke was on her as he and Ben had had a blowout on the ride over._

“ _Not one for smalltalk?” a man asked. He was about Hux’s age, perhaps a little older, and he was wearing a military uniform._

“ _I find this all a bit…” Hux paused, looking for the right word._

“ _Pretentious.  That’s the word you’re looking for.  Poe Dameron,” the man said, holding out his hand._

“ _You hit the nail on the head, Poe,” Hux said, taking Poe’s hand in a firm shake.  “Armitage Hux.”_

“ _Hux.  You aren’t engaged to Ben are you?” Poe asked, giving Hux a shining smile._

“ _Word travels fast, I see,” Hux said, taking his hand back and taking a sip of his drink._

“ _Leia’s been beside herself.  Ben’s her baby after all.”_

“ _I thought Rey was her baby.”_

_Poe let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head.  “Rey lets Leia in.  Leia never expected Ben to get married. He isn’t exactly easy to live with—”_

“ _I am fully aware,” Hux said, swishing his drink in  his glass._

“ _Leia’s just in shock.”_

“ _That it’s with a man?”_

“ _That it’s with anyone.”_

“ _Fair enough,” Hux said._

“ _Where is Ben, anyway?” Poe asked._

“ _Lord only knows.”_

“ _Well, that’s just not right, leaving you to the wolves.”_

“ _I have a habit of biting first.  I think I can handle myself.”_

_Poe gave Hux a winning smile, but he didn’t move on.  He kept talking easily with Hux.  Poe was funny, and he could do fantastic imitations.   Hux had never been amused by people doing impressions, but Poe had Ben down perfectly._

_Unfortunately, Ben may have caught him doing that impression because just as Poe was making a crude joke about his motorcycle, Hux caught Ben making a beeline across the ballroom floor._

_Ben was intercepted before he could  get to them, and Poe laughed as Ben was interrogated by an elderly woman.  Hux could just hear her asking Ben if he’d seen her boyfriend._

“ _That’s Maz,” Poe whispered, leaning in close to Hux.  “She insists she’s dating Han’s business partner.”_

“ _Chewie?”_

“ _None other.”_

“ _I’m not certain who I feel sorry for,” Hux said, biting his lip as Ben tried to put the woman off while also sneaking glares at them._

_Poe laughed, patting Hux on the shoulder, and that seemed to spur Ben to disengage from his conversation with Maz.  He came tearing across the room only to grab Poe’s shoulder and pull him away from Hux._

“ _What the hell are you doing?” Ben demanded._

“ _Jesus Christ, Ben,” Hux cursed, surprised by Ben’s behavior._

“ _Are you hitting on my fiance?” Ben demanded, ignoring Hux._

“ _I was being nice.  You left him all alone in here with these people,” Poe defended, pushing Ben’s hand off of him._

“ _Stay away from Armie,” Ben growled._

“ _You don’t get a say in who I speak to,” Hux reminded him.  Ben wasn’t one for neanderthal demonstrations of possessiveness, but he was stubborn, and once he got going he had trouble stopping._

“ _Stay out of this, Hux,” Ben barked at him._

“ _Oh no,” Hux said, grabbing Ben by the tie he’d tied for him and literally leading him out of the room by it.  Ben tried to yank it out of Hux’s grasp, but Hux held firm.  All eyes were on them as they walked out the door._

“ _What the fuck?”_

“ _You just made a scene then told me to stay out of my own business,” Hux argued._

“ _You don’t know shit about Poe Dameron.”_

“ _No, but he was nice enough to keep me company tonight.”_

“ _I’m sure he was, and he’d be happy to fuck you tonight, too,” Ben barked.  Hux could see the vein in his neck pulsing as he paced back and forth in front of him._

_Hux removed a pack of cigarettes out of the hidden pocket in his jacket.  He beat it against his palm a couple times before flicking it open and removing a cigarette.  “Is that all this is? You’re jealous of Poe?” Hux asked, placing the cigarette between his lips and pulling the Zippo out of his pocket._

“ _I’m not jealous,” Ben roared._

“ _What are you then?” Hux asked, lighting his cigarette and giving Ben a look full of skepticism._

“ _I’m fucking furious.  You’re just talking to him like he’s anyone else.”_

“ _Frankly, he is like anyone else since I didn’t know a single person in there, and you were off doing God knows what,” Hux said, gesturing carelessly with his cigarette._

“ _He isn’t just like anyone else!” Ben insisted._

“ _Do tell, preferably before I freeze my nuts off,” Hux prompted._

“ _We have history,” Ben said, grabbing at his hair and messing up that naturally neat mane of his._

“ _I figured that much based on the ridiculous peacock display I’m witnessing.”_

“ _Just shut up,” Ben hissed, turning and snatching the cigarette right from between Hux’s lips.  “And stop smoking these.  Makes kissing you taste rancid.”_

“ _Perhaps I’ll just let Poe kiss me then. He doesn’t seem like he’d mind.”  It was a low blow, but Hux only had so much patience for Ben’s rages. He knew he could handle them better, but he supposed his impulse control wasn’t that much better than Ben’s in that regard._

_Ben pounded his fist against the wall before turning on his heel and walking away.  “Go ahead and fuck him.  I don’t care, but get your own ride home,” Ben shouted over his shoulder._

“ _And where are you going?”_

“ _To pick up a hooker.”_

“ _Funny, Ben,” Hux called after him, shaking his head._

_He didn’t stop Ben.  It was better to let him cool off than to keep pushing, and Hux would push if he went after him._

_Instead, he turned and walked back into the restaurant and made a beeline for Poe who seemed to be in the middle of telling a hilarious story to a small group of people._

“ _What did you do to my fiance?” Hux asked, loudly enough that the entire group could hear him.  Most of them took that as their cue to leave as Poe looked up from where he was pantomiming part of his story.  “Well, out with it.  You seem to love sharing stories,” Hux urged.  That got a few more people moving to the nearest exit._

“ _Ben’s still mad?” Poe said, sounding like he wanted to just play it off._

“ _He is, and despite my many shortcomings as a partner, I don’t enjoy seeing him incensed...unless I deliberately caused it for the make-up sex.”_

“ _Why didn’t he tell you?”_

“ _Because I stuck my foot in my mouth before he had the chance. Now do hurry up.”  Hux crossed his arms over his chest and gave Poe a look of impatience._

“ _I dated a guy he was into in high school.”_

“ _Ben can have a habit of blowing things out of proportion, but I doubt that’s why he just tried to put his fist through a wall, so try again with a little more truth.”_

_Poe rubbed at the back of his neck.  “Ben and I were close growing up.  I was a few years older, but we always hung out.  Ben had this crush on a guy down the block for ages.  He’d try to act all aloof, but he went to every show this guy’s band played.  The guy’s band sucked.  Anyway, this guy was in my grade, and the summer after graduation we got kinda close because I was heading off to the Naval Academy, and he was enlisting in the Army come the fall.  So we just had this shared dream or whatever…”_

“ _A shared dream?” Hux wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t.  People were still giving them too much attention._

“ _Look, I’m not proud of it.  I knew Ben was head-over-heels for this guy, but it just happened.  He came on to me, said he didn’t want to go away without knowing what it was like, and I was having some of those same feelings.  I didn’t think Ben was going to walk in on us.”_

“ _Are you kidding me?” Hux threw up his hands, giving up all pretense of manners.  He didn’t wait for Poe’s response.  He just walked out of the restaurant and hailed a cab back to his apartment._

Hux glanced across the table at Finn and Rey, who were completely engrossed in Poe’s story.  Hux didn’t know how long that Poe had been a part of their thing, or if it was even a regular thing or if it had even happened yet.  All he knew was that they were both looking at him was equal parts adoration and hunger, and he knew where that led.

Looking down at his empty glass, Hux slid out of the booth and moved toward the bar.  He could see Ben standing down at the other end, as far away from their table as he could.

“Why must you always make it difficult,” Hux muttered to himself as he tried to delicately work his way through the crowd.

“Buy me a drink?” a woman asked, standing in Hux’s way.

Hux looked her up and down.  She had the look in her eye that she was on the prowl—probably in town for just a night or two and looking to make it more interesting or to just relieve the stress of family gatherings.

“I can’t even afford to buy myself a drink,” he told her honestly.

“Then let me buy you one,” she said, smiling at him.

“My husband is waiting for me,” Hux said, pointing to Ben through the crowd. As if on cue, Ben looked in their direction and caught Hux’s gesture.  He frowned, looking down at his drink again.

“He doesn’t seem too concerned.”

_If only she knew how unconcerned Ben was._ “He doesn’t like to be kept waiting, if you’ll excuse me,” Hux said, finally stepping around her.

Hux was less cautious as he pushed through the crowd the rest of the way to Ben’s side.  “Making friends?” Ben said, not looking up from his beer.

“Friends make themselves in this sort of place,” Hux said, squeezing in beside Ben.

“Like Poe?”

“I know this may come as a shock to you, but Poe is not everyone’s type, Ben, and even if he were, I’m not one to tangle myself up in that sort of mess,” Hux told him point blank.  “You can hate Poe all you want for this great betrayal he committed, but you had no claim  on that boy.  They had a connection, Ben, something they shared.  Despite the distortion your jealousy creates, Poe and I have no such connection.  Be it tonight, tomorrow, or next decade, I promise you that I have no intention of fucking Poe.  He’s far more interested in your sister anyway,” Hux told him.

Ben’s head snapped up, and his eyes immediately went to their table.  Hux looked as well and sure enough, all three of them was hunched close to each other like they were sharing intimate secrets.  All three of them looked quite happy as they conspired.

“I’m going to rip his balls off,” Ben said, balling his fist.

Hux sighed as Ben tore back toward the table.  “That wasn’t the point of that,” Hux sighed, looking down at Ben’s drink.  A second glass slid right in front of him—a brandy.

“Solo ordered it for you,” the bartender said when Hux looked up.  

“I don’t have money.”

“It’s on Solo’s tab.  Said get you anything you want,” the bartender told him, filling another order as he spoke.

Hux glanced back at Ben and cringed as he pulled Poe to his feet.  “In that case, I’ll have another before Ben gets himself thrown out.”

The bartender laughed, but he poured Hux a drink even as he motioned to the bouncer just inside the door.


End file.
